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Introduction The inscriptions The funerary church |
At the locality Sous-le-Scex, at the foot of the rock outcrop with the Valère Basilica, a so-called funerary church was excavated in 1984-1985. Initially the building functioned only as a covered cemetery. Only later was it used for liturgical ceremonies.
View of the remains of the funerary church. Photo: Canton du Valais.
Aerial view of the Valère Basilica and in the lower left corner a modern indication of the plan of the church. Photo: Bing Maps.The oldest building was erected in the fifth century. It consisted of a large rectangular space (20 x 11.50 m.), covered by a gabled roof that reached a height of ten meters. Two side doors allowed access to this burial area. Still in the fifth century two square wings and two apses were added. In the second half of the sixth century a third apse was built. The building was enlarged through the addition of three annexes. Around 600 AD the church was damaged by a fire. Repairs and more work took place in the seventh century. The building was now used also for liturgical services. In the tenth century the building was abandoned.
Plan of the funerary church. Green: 400-500 AD. Orange: 550-600 AD. Blue: 600-700 AD.In and around the church more than 1000 skeletons were found in some 500 tombs, some of which were reused several times. Usually the deceased were buried with their heads to the west, lying on their backs, arms at their sides. They could be buried in simple pits, hollowed-out tree trunks, wooden, stone or tile casings, masonry tombs, and sarcophagi.
Some of the tombs. Photo: Lehner 1987, Abb. 5a-d.
Introduction
The inscriptions
The funerary church
[26-Jan-2024]
